Fight the cuts - Defend Probation

April 29, 2008

Justice Under Stress - Rally 9 June

The Justice Unions’ Group is organising a rally and lobby of Parliament on Monday 9th June from 14.30 to 16.30 in Committee Room 14 of the House of Commons.

This unique event will bring together members from the justice unionsPOA, PCS and Napo to make MPs aware of joint concerns
- attacks on pay and conditions
- cutbacks to services
- creeping privatisation
- and the impact of all three on service delivery

Speakers at the Rally include:
Neil Garrard MP
Baroness Gibson
David Howarth MP
Lord Ramsbotham
Edward Garnier MP
Tony Benn
Elfyn Llwyd MP
Judy McKnight
David Drew MP
Lord Graham
Dianne Abbott MP
Chris Huhne MP
Ben Priestley, Unison
John McDonnell MP

Branches - particularly branches local to London - have been invited to send delegations to the rally. Please let your branch know if you are interested in going.

The Justice Under Stress event is planned to coincide with the TUC’s Speak Up For Public Services lobby on public sector pay which is being held from 12.30 to 14.30 in Central Hall Westminster.

This event is not planned as a mass rally but rather a representative lobby, however members attending the Justice Under Stress Rally, who can get to London for 12.00 are welcome to aattend the TUC rally also.

More information will be sent out to branches in the coming weeks.

Posted by kfalcon at 12:51 PM

April 24, 2008

Probation Faces Budget and Staffing Crisis - CCJS report published

An important new report fromt he Centre for Crime and Justice Studies - Probation Resources, Staffing and Workloads 2001-2008 - was published today.

The research, commissioned by Napo, shows:

- Since 2001, the Probation budget has grown by 21 percent in real terms. However, in recent years it has declined, by 9 percent in 2005-06 and 2 percent in 2006-07. The government plans further year on year budget reductions of 3 per cent per year for the next three years.
- The recently announced £40 million for implementing community orders in place of short prison sentences is unlikely to compensate for the impact of long term and continuing budget reductions.
- Probation caseloads increased by 23 percent between 2002 and 2006, and by 47 percent since 1997.
- Frontline probation staff grew by 21 percent between 2002 and 2006. However, growth was concentrated among senior and management grades, as well as the less qualified Probation Service Officers. The numbers of fully qualified and trainee Probation Officers fell by 9 percent.

A full copy of the report can be found on the CCJS website

Read on for the press release that accompanied the publication of the report today.

The publication picked up considerable national coverage - here is the BBC report.

Continue reading "Probation Faces Budget and Staffing Crisis - CCJS report published"

Posted by kfalcon at 10:33 AM